Tattoo Tuesdays: Abby Pepitone

Getting a tattoo can be a scary experience. For a lot of people, there’s a fear that a visible tattoo may hold you back professionally. But, for senior education major Abby Pepitone, her compass tattoo was worth it. Not even the threat of professional backlash is stopping her from sharing her testimony.

What is your tattoo and what does it mean?

My tattoo is a compass. When I was in high school, I had absolutely NO idea what I wanted to do with my life in college and beyond. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. The idea of choosing a school, major, and eventually a career was so daunting to me and caused a ton of anxiety in my life. This might seem crazy, but in figuring out details for college, I can’t tell you how much I barely did anything. All I did was trust, wait and listen to God and His still, small voice. I would find myself making decisions that were completely impulsive and seemed to be what God was telling me to do. These were decisions that I know I didn’t make on my own. For example, I chose a major I would have never seen myself doing. Now, I am living the best life possible for me in a career field that I adore and I’m attending Messiah, a college that is everything I ever dreamed about. Back in high school, I made a decision to let God lead and direct every step of my life and He truly led me out of an awful season of uncertainty and anxiety. He continues to direct and guide me through every stage of my life and I could not think of a better daily reminder of that than this tattoo. Psalm 32:8 says, “The Lord will guide you on the best pathway for your life.”

How long had you wanted a tattoo before you got it?

I had wanted a tattoo before I was even old enough to get one. For years, I jumped around with different ideas and never had a design or specific tattoo in mind to get. I seriously started debating getting my specific tattoo in May and got it a few weeks later in June.

What was the process like?

Even though I had wanted a tattoo for a while, the decision to get it was actually super spontaneous. Basically, I had nothing to do that day and decided to go check out some designs and make an appointment. It turned out they had extra time and I got it done that night! I didn’t tell anyone about it except my friend and my sister, who both came with me, so it was a huge surprise for everyone!

Do you want to get any more?

YES. It seemed like the day I got mine done I was already planning out my next one. I hope to get a Bible verse and a tulip for my momma! I also really want a shark…just because sharks are cool.

What’s something you want people to know about getting tattoos/your tattoo?

I would like people to know that they shouldn’t be completely opposed to getting a tattoo for professional or business-related reasons. Despite many people’s warnings, sharing my testimony of how God has worked in my life is worth more than the slight inconvenience of covering it in a few situations. How many solid, professional, paying jobs have I had since getting my tattoo? Three. And how many times have I had the opportunity to use my tattoo to tell people about Jesus? Countless.